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Feb. 12, 1929. 1,701,878

w. FREEGARD APPARATUS FOR TREATING CONTINUOUS SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l FICiI.

WITNESSES h 7 By HVVENTOR: flaw N Wiizkzmfieegazzi A BY v 90% 42% W I v ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 12, 1929..

W. FREEGARD APPARATUS FOR TREATING CONTINUOUS SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n H U \WATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FREEGARD. F ELIZABETH, JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO THE BARBER AS- PHALT COMPANYQOF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING CONTINUOUS SHEET MATERIAL.

Application filed September 12, 1927. Serial No. 219,115.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating continuoussheet materials of va'.

rious kinds, and in certain forms of embodiment is especially useful in connection with the manufacture of flooring felt, prepared roofing, etc, to dry such materials after having been fresh coated on one side with water proofing compounds, paint or other surfacing.

The main objects of my invention are to enable rapid treatment without necessitating contact with the wet coated face of the material incidentally to propulsion thereof through a treating atmosphere; and to secure the above desideratum in an extremely compact apparatuspredeterinining an extensive circuitous course for the material while it is progressed through a treating chamber by means contacting continuously lengthwise of the material but with the baclronly, so

that the coated side is entirely free for insurance against injury and for exposure at all times to the treating medium throughout the period of treatment. I

My invention is particularly advantageous in the specific connection referred to in that the material may be rolled or otherwise packed immediately after drying without requiring use either .of anti-stick powder such as talc, or specially prepared paper be tween layers to prevent adhesion as has been necessary heretofore.

Other objects and attendant advantages of my invention will become readily obvious from the detailed; description of the typical embodiment shown in the drawings, whereof Fig. I is a more or less diagrammatic longitudinal sectional View of the treating apparatus; I V i I Fig. II is a plan view showing means whereby the continuous sheet material is progressed within the treating chamber;

Fig. III is an end view of the progressing means; and j Fig. IV shows a modified detailof the apparatus. j i

With more specific refercnce'first to Fig. I of these illustrations, 5 designates an enclosure which may be of sheet metal suitably braced by a supporting skeleton; frame 6 of.

structural iron,.so as to afford a restricted space serviceable as a treating chamber, for

example, in drying the continuous sheet roof I ing'conventionally indicated. in theillustra Within the chamber theroofing R is confined to an extensive va1i'i-directional path of travel by a novel progressing means which is unique in that drivin contact is made with the material substantially along its entire length but at the back only, so that its face is left absolutely free for subjection to the influence of. air or other fluent medium to dry the coating later on more fully explained. As shown, the progressing system just re ferred to in the present instance comprises a multiplicity of vertically-spaced equi-distanced upperand lower pulley rollers 9, 10 which are journaled for rotation in bearings supported by parallel horizontals of the skeleton. frame, 6. The rollers 9, 10 are coordinated in pairs by con'lparatively narrow vertical progressing belts 11, while adjacent pairs of the lower pulley rollers 10 are similarly connected by horizontal belts 12. As shown in Figs. II and III, the upper pulley rollers 9 are recessed at the regions over-trai elled by the belts 11 so that the outer belt surfacesand the pulley faces are flush for uninterrupted contact with the roofing R. The upper rollers 9 are driven positively by the driving connections shown in Fig. II, wherefrom it will be noted that each roller is equipped at one end with a bevel gear pinion 13. These several pinions mesh with companion bevel pinions 14 all fast on a line shaft 15. IVith this arrangement therollers 9 are obviously all rotated in unison and the belts 11,12 driven at uniform surface speed. Inpassing'from the feed roll 8 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. I, the roofing R is obliged. "to trace a compensatory drop loop Lon its way to the first of the upper pulley rollerst, and, as itpasses over and between the succeeding "upper rollers of the series, is confined. by. co-operation of the belts 11, to an undulatmiy path up and down within the chamber 5 through a succession loops L.

For the purpose of hastening the drying of the coating and at the same time maintaining the roofing R in contact with the belts 1 1, I provide an air et system including a multiplicity of tubes 16 whichextend transversely of the chamber 5 and which are grouped in vertical series within the intervals of the loops L. Each of the tubes 16has longitudinally arranged jet apertures at intervals around its circumference, through which air under pressure is released to impinge at distributed points against the exposed coated surface of the roofing within the loops L; In this way, it will be apparent that the coating is effectively dried and the roofing at the sametime urged against the I belts 11 so as to be positively driven thereby incidentally to travel through the enclosure.

The tubes 16 communicate at one end with a manifold indicated in dotted lines at 18 in' Fig. I,the same communicating through a duct 19 with a suitable source of air supply, not shown. The spent air is discharged through exhaust outlets 20, 21 at the top of the chamber 5. A continuous circulation of air is thus maintained within the chamber 5 at all times. Upon leaving the last of the upper pulley rollers 9, the roofing is caused to trace a final compensating loop L on its way to adelivery roll 22 by which it is guided from the chamber 5 through a contiguous 3e end wall of the latter.

transverse exit opening 28 in the left hand As it emerges from the chamber 5, the roofing is directed to a pair of co-operative draw rolls 25, 26 and, forthe purpose of cooling,

' may be formed into a successionof festoon known type known as a Reeves drive, com

prisingtwo parallelshafts 31, 32 respectively equipped with coned pulley disks 33, 34.

V which are con'ipensatively separablefto difjferent extents in determining different relative speeds through an interposed self-positioning belt 35. The'primary shaft 31' of the variable speed drive receives motion through a sprocket chain connection '36 from a counter-shaft 8?,which is in turn drivenfrom a Y powershaft 38 by bevel gearing 40. -From the counter-shaft 37, motion isfdire'ctly c0m municated to the feed roll 8 by a sprocket chain. connection 4E1. Thesecondary shaft 32 ofthe variable speed device transmits v motion through'achain 42, to a shaft 43 which is co-ordinated by abevel gear couple 44' with a line shaft 15 by which, the several the material.

pulley rollers 9 are driven. Asimilar'variable speed device may be employed to drive the draw-rolls 25, 26 at the discharge end of tained substantiallyuniformas to length for capacity to automatically compensate for any irregularities in the travels of thematerial while tracing the intermediate loops L between the belts 11. Ordinarily the'depth of the loops L is so ordered that they are free i of the horizontal belts 12. Should any of these loops become too long, contact with the belts 12 will tend to stop them and lift the material 'R from the pulley rollers 9 so that through attendant slippage, the sheet will be slowed down until the normal balance is reestablished in the whole group of the loops. However, since the horizontal belts 12 run at the .same surface speed as the vertical belts 11 and the pulley rollers 9, they willobviously assistin promoting uniform travel of When treating very heavy materials, may resort to the use of hollow perforate sue tion rollers 9", Fig. IV, in lieu of the solid type rollers-9 shown in Fig. I; The rollers 9 may have tubular trunnions for communi} cation witha suitable-sourcefof suctionafter a manner well known in the art. Under the effect of the suction, it will be obvious that any inherent springiness of the material'tending to prevent its bending around the rollers 9 is entirely overcome. The material is ac- 'cordingly obliged to cling to the rollers and to be thereby positively progressed along the V desired path of travel.

-I-Iaving thus described my claim: 1

1. In apparatus for treating continuous invention, I

sheet material, a treating chamber, progress-1 ing means continuously contacting lengthwise on one side of the materlal only while confining it to an extensive vari-directional path of travel'withm the chamber, and means directing pressure flu d against the freeopposite sideof the material to maintain the material in contact with the progressing" means. v I g V p V 2. In apparatus forv treating cont nuous sheet mater al, a treating chamber, progressing means continuously contacting lengthj wise of the .material but with. one side only while confining it to an undulatory path of travel within the chamber, and jet pipes in the intervals'of the eonvolution's to direct fluent pressure at distributed points against the free sideof the material to maintain it in contact with the progressing means.

3. In apparatus for treating continuous sheet material, a treating chamber, and means to progress the material within. the chamber including a multiplicity of spaced upper and lower rollers connected in pairs by vertical belts and said lower rollers in turn connected by horizontal belts, all said belts adapted for lengthwise contact with the material-in con-.

fining it to an undulatory path of travel.

-il. I11 apparatus for treating continuous sheet material, a treating chamber, and means to progress the material within the chamber including a. multiplicity of spaced upper and lower rollers connected in paths by vertical belts and said lower rollers in turn connected by horizontal belts, all said belts adapted for lengthwise contact with one side only of the material in confining it to an undulatory path of travel, and vertically-arranged jet pipes in the intervals of the convolutions discharging fluid under pressure against the other free side of the material. to maintain it in contact with the belts.

5. In apparatus for treating sheet material such as prepared roofing fresh coated on one side with moist surfacing, a treating chamber, progressing means continuously contacting lengthwise only with the back of the roofing while confining it to an extensive vari-directional path of travel within the chamber, and means directing j e-tsof air under pressure against the coatedface of the material to dry the surfacing and at the same time maintain the material in contact with the progressing means.

6. In apparatus for treating continuous sheet material, a plurality of progressing means, each of which includes an upper and a lower roller and a belt trained about said upper and lower rollers, a clear space being provided between the belts of ad acent progressing means, and means for driving said .in directions at right angles to such elements,

the said elements of the successive progressing means being parallel, a clear space being provided between adjacent progressing means, and means for driving said moving -means in the same direction and with substantially the same surface velocity, whereby sheet material suspended over successive progressing means and extending down therebetween may be driven through the apparatus.

8. In apparatus for treating continuous sheet material, a plurality of progressing means, each of which includes an upper and a lower roller and a belt trained about said upper and lower rollers, a. clear space being provided between the belts of adjacent progressing means, means for driving said belts in the same direction and with substantially the same surface velocity whereby sheet material suspended over successive belts and extending down therebetween may be driven through the apparatus, and moving means arranged to engage the sheet material depending between successive belts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Maurer, New Jersey, this 1st day of September, 1927.

WILLIAM FREEGARD. 

